Gers' main influences are Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff Beck and Irish blues guitarist Rory Gallagher.[5] He is noted for his energetic stage presence,[6][7][8] which often involves performing tricks with his guitar, such as throwing it into the air and catching it.[9] He is also left-handed although he plays guitar right-handed; he can be seen signing autographs with his left hand in the Rock in Rio DVD.

Gers had an uncredited part in the BBC drama The Paradise Club in 1990, appearing as the lead guitarist of a band called Fraud Squad.[14] He appeared in the 2010 fan-made Iron Maiden documentary Maiden Heaven.

Gers is a long-time proponent of the Fender Stratocaster. His guitars are typically black or white with rosewood fingerboards and Seymour Duncan JB Jr. and Hot Rails pick-ups.[9][15] His favourite guitar over the years has been a black Stratocaster, equipped with JB Jr. pick-ups,[15] which was given to him by Ian Gillan.[16] Gers uses four different Fender Stratocasters, as well as a Gibson Chet Atkins semi-acoustic model for songs such as "Dance of Death".[17] Gers is currently endorsed by Sandberg Guitars, and he uses a California ST-S tobacco hc-aged and a California ST-S creme hc-aged model on stage.[18]

Like his bandmates, Dave Murray[19] and Adrian Smith,[20] Gers currently uses the Marshall JMP-1 preamp through a Marshall 9200 power amp.[21][22] Preferring not to use foot-switches while playing, Gers' roadie operates his MIDI Foot Controller offstage.[21] Favouring cables, Gers only uses a Shure UR4D wireless system when he throws his guitar around.[22] He uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Nickel-wound guitar strings, although he does not use the B strings.[16]

^"Bruce Dickinson, the actor". Bookofhours.net. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2011. In the studio we see "Fraud squad" which are, Janick Gers on guitar, Andy Carr, bass and Dickie Flitzar on drums, i.e. the band that Bruce used on the 1990 solo tour.